Will New Jersey's Election Law Enforcement Commission feel the squeeze of budget cuts and workforce reduction? If Governor Jon Corzine's (D) budget is any indication, the agency which is responsible for oversight of the state's pilot Clean Elections program could see staffing cuts that undermine its ability to fulfill its mission.

The Executive Director of the Commission, Frederick Herrmann understands its hard to get worked up about ethics or understand the particularities of the work they do. But he reminds New Jersey residents of the incredible expense of corrupt government:

"The first expense of government is to maintain the integrity of the democratic process," he said. "If it's not ethical, then how do you deal with everything else? Education, the environment, the economy.

"Corrupt government is a much greater expense than clean government, but it's not a tangible good," said Herrmann, ELEC's director for 24 years.

It'd be a shame to see all the work that New Jersey has done in advancing its Clean Elections program hobbled by these kinds of cutbacks, which would hurt chances for an expansion of the program.